


Partners In Crime

by OnceRulesofSuperWalkingPotter



Series: Sobering Up Tony Stark [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alcoholic Tony Stark, Anxiety Attacks, Canon Divergence - Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Choking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt Tony Stark, Implied Past Sexual Experience, Jealous Tony Stark, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Civil War (Marvel), Tony Stark Has Issues, Tough Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-07-16 05:10:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16079126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnceRulesofSuperWalkingPotter/pseuds/OnceRulesofSuperWalkingPotter
Summary: After Winter Soldier, Steve comes back to Tony who has been losing his shit over the downfall of S.H.E.I.L.D and to HYDRA running around crazy trying to save as many people as he could. For some reason Rogers can't understand why Tony is so upset; or why he's hiding something from him.





	1. Visiting Hours

**Author's Note:**

> So I haven't updated this in a while but I was wanting to re-watch some of the movies first. Took a while what with time and being a mom, and work plus school. In any case, sorry for the wait.This one is going to be a multi-chapter. Sorry not Sorry. I hope you enjoy! Your comments and kudos are always welcomed and appreciated.

"WHERE THE HELL IS HE?!" Steve blinks into the dimly lit hospital room at the hysterical screech. He coughs a little looking to his right at the chair Sam was supposed to be in. Falcon was standing next to the door looking out nervously. There was a thud outside against the window that has Steve sitting up hurriedly. His ribs and stitches send a flash of pain throughout him. 

"....you need to calm down..." Natasha's voice was quiet. It must be past visiting hours. Steve groans a little as he turns to look at the clock. Two in the morning. Who the hell-?

"DO  _NOT_ TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO ROMANOV! AFTER THE  **SHIT** YOU TWO PULLED!" Sam glances back at Steve before stepping out. 

"Look man, now isn't a good time." 

"Who the hell is this guy? I'm sorry do I know you? No? Get the fuck out of my way." Even from here Steve could see and hear the distinct sound of a gauntlet. 

"Tony!" He calls out. The hoarseness of his voice probably didn't help. 

The door was kicked open. Over Tony's shoulder he could see Sam checking on Natasha. She was rubbing her wrists and panting as she glared at Stark. Steve smiles at her weakly in an apology. They knew he didn't want to be disturbed. Tony looked like a wreck. He was in an actual suit. Even the right shoes. His hair was in complete disarray, tie was undone and only one of his sleeves was rolled up. Steve was displeased to see a small personal bottle of Jack Daniels in the hand that isn't a gauntlet. 

"Oh my fucking God." Tony breathes looking at him. Rogers smirks slightly. 

"Do I really look that bad?" The Iron hand powers down folding back into a watch as Stark makes his way to the bedside. 

"He did this to you? That...that Winter Soldier?" Steve sighs leaning against the pillows. If he could smell the alcohol on him that little bottle wasn't the first. If it wasn't for finding Bucky he might regret the temporary move to D.C.

"No...James Buchanan Barnes.  _That's_ his name." Tony flinches a little taking Sam's vacant seat. He was silent looking Steve up and down. Processing. And re-processing. Steve let him be.

"No. Mh-mh. That's not right." Frowning Steve looks at him. "No, James Barnes is the person who pulled you out of the river. The Winter Soldier is who shot you." Tony gives him a quick smile as pats his leg. 

"Tons, I-"

"Oh don't turn into a Sappy Cappy on me now Rogers. I'm not sober enough to hold back tears if you start talking about  _feelings_." Steve laughs a little, making a small noise of discomfort for his effort. Tony sighs looking at him.

"I'll be alright. Don't worry about me." Tony rolls his eyes.

"I don't. Worrying isn't something I do anyways." Tony clears his throat standing up. "Anyways, sorry for waking you. I know you old folk need your beauty sleep." Steve chuckles again, something starting to worry at the back of his mind. 

"Stark you alright?" He asks as Tony was headed for the door. 

"Fine, I'm good. I mean I'm a little bummed that I have to start over on my sobriety but I've heard that happens every now and again. Besides the custom made chips aren't ready yet so there's that. I gotta go Cap. People to save, lawyers to hire." Steve frowns again. 

"What?"

"Bye get better see you back at the tower." 

 


	2. Tower Heist?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's home and Tony's acting weird. Well...weirder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted this all out at once. So I've been working furiously to accomplish that.

"Tony?" Steve calls out when the elevator doors open. Natasha walks past him headed for the communal kitchen. 

"Stark? You home?" 

"Hello Captain Rogers. Good Afternoon Agent Romanov." J.A.R.V.I.S's voice calls out overhead. Steve smiles feeling a sense of relief. 

"Ok who the hell is that?" Sam asks following Steve to the living room. He winces. In all honesty he forgot to tell Same about the AI. 

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Wilson, I am J.A.R.V.I.S, the personal AI to Mr. Stark. I run this tower, all eight of his houses, every one of his Iron Man Suits, his work shop in Stark Industries both here in New York and in California. I also run the satellites that keep the Avengers in contact with each other. Plus the cellphones each member of the team carries with them." Steve beams with pride while Sam's mouth falls open.

"Tony made him. When he was...how old was he J.A.R?"

"Twenty-two sir. Shortly after his parents death. Stane had informed him he needed to build something to recover from his grief. So he made me." Everyone stares at each other in silence for a moment. "I have been upgraded and re-corrected since then. Expanded and added to. I think Mr. Stark is trying to make me more...human. He is in fact a lonel-"

"Alright JAR, that's enough." Three heads turn to the stairs in sync. Tony folds his arms with a small smile. He was looking better. Thinner if Steve looked hard enough. A pair of baggy oil stained jeans, and his favorite Black Sabbath t-shirt. Steve walks over to him clapping his shoulder. 

"Tons. How's it hanging?" Tony doesn't look at him directly immediately instead he looks around at the other two.

"Nat, nice to see you. I'm sorry, Sam is it? Names Tony, nice to meet you." Sam frowns looking between the other three. 

"Tony." There was an under lying warning in Steve's voice. Tony sighs looking at him. 

"Hi Steve. How're the bullet holes?" Steve blinks hard eyebrows shooting up. 

"J.A.R.V.I.S. please give me Tony's blood alcohol level?" Tony pushes himself away from Steve,

"Nope! No, J.A.R.V.I.S you don't have to-"

"Currently it is 1.08 but he hasn't had anything to drink in the last eight hours." Tony closes his eyes while Steve forces himself into parade rest. If he wasn't gripping his wrists tightly he might punch something.

"Now hold up. It's been eight hours and- how in the hell?" Sam questions looking appalled. 

"Tony it's eight thirty in the morning." Natasha follows up looking concerned. 

"Is it? Hmm, oh well. I guess that means I have to get to work. If you'll excuse me I have to go shower and change. Pepper wants me in a meeting of some sorts and I have to look well...perfect." Before any of them could stop him Tony was in the elevator and out of sight. Frowning Steve takes a few deep breathes staring at the shut doors. 

"Is...is he always like that?" Sam asks sitting on one of the bar stools. Natasha scoffs opening the fridge and pulling out three bottles of water. 

"Sometimes. Usually when he's hiding something." Sam instantly looks defensive. 

"Normally it's something fine. Like a new suit, or a birthday cake that nobody wants." Steve comments stiffly. Natasha's lips thin a little. 

"That seems...nice of him?" Steve turns to Sam with a huff catching the water Nat throws at him. Sam gets the feeling that he's missing something. 

"I said; normally. But sometimes and those sometimes almost  _always_ happens when he's drunk, sometimes it's something bad. And dangerous, and stuff he shouldn't be doing and defiantly shouldn't be doing it alone." 

 

 

 

 

"Captain Rogers, I must advice, I am required to inform Mr. Stark that you're here." J.A.R.V.I.S explains as they break the glass door leading into Tony's work station. 

"Yeah, well...if we had the access we normally did then we wouldn't have to break in." Steve says with a shrug. Natasha grins at him and winks at Sam. 

"He's gotta point." Sam shakes his head stepping over the broken glass. 

"Doesn't mean this is the right thing to do." The other two shrug as they start combing over Tony's things. There was a large coil of wires on the floor that Sam climbs over feeling a stone in his stomach. They shouldn't be here. "What should we be looking for anyways Cap?" 

"Not sure. Just...something out of the usual." 

"Oh yeah, sure that's helpful to someone who's never been in here before." Sam mutters under his breath. Nat shrugs sorting through some papers. 

"Yes well...it's Stark. You'll know it when you see it I'm sure."

Steve glances around moving stuff here and there at an absolute loss. The place looked like a complete mess. There were piles of Iron Man Suit parts here and there. A few dozen screens were left on with blue prints that didn't look like they actually built  _anything_ but he's sure it makes sense to Tony. Wires were all over the place. Papers were just scattered around. There was a few sheets a paper that he had to hold up to the light to actually see it. Looked like more blue prints for Iron Man stuff. Specifically an arm. Alarm bells were ringing in his head. 

"You old folk....you old folk...." He mutters thinking back to Tony visiting him in the hospital. 

"Cap?" Nat and Sam chorus. 

"Somethings wrong." He whispers. 


	3. Privacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Steve have a little disagreement about hiding things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've spent so long re-watching the MCU to get some of this right. Obviously I will be re-arranging the parts to this series as I add works to it.

"How hard is it?"

"Well maybe if my team didn't hide things from me-"

"Everyone has secrets. Have you ever asked Clint who is girlfriend is?"

"This isn't about Clint."

"Whatever. It's never about who I say is it?"

"J.A.R.V.I.S. give me Tony's blood alcohol levels please."

"Why do you have to drag him into this?"

"Tony could you just work with me here?"

"Is it because I'm in recovery?"

"Don't even try to play the pity card."

"See and people wonder why I drink."

"Put it down Stark."

"Oh am I back to 'Stark'? That's fair I guess  _Rogers_."

"Put down the drink!"

"Make me!"

Natasha, and Sam watch the two of them arguing their heads bobbing back and forth as if they were watching a ping-pong game or a tennis match. Tony had come home from work about five minutes ago and had been hashing it out ever since. Tony was furious that they broke into his work shop. However; Natasha has seen him  _actually_ mad and knew he was just worried. Which means he  **was** hiding something. And it was possible to figure it out in this room. 

"Alright boys that's enough." Natasha sighs standing up getting in between them. She smiles beautifully at Tony as she takes his drink from him. "Thank you I could use this after the week we had." Tony continues to stare intensely at Steve, who was glaring right back. 

"Yeah no problem. Think I'm going to work on quitting."

"Oh is that so?" Steve quips putting his hands on his hips. 

"I said: enough." She says turning to Steve eyes narrowing. Steve sighs glancing at her before shaking his head and turning away. Tony takes a deep breath before going over to one of his tables picking up a stack of papers. 

"So...you want to tell us what you've been working on?" Steve asks tapping a control panel. Natasha rolls her eyes taking her seat next to Sam. 

"Just...couldn't let it go could he?" He whispers under his breath eyeing Tony who was busy glancing at the thin sheets tossing some in a fire pit off in the corner. Natasha sighs shaking her head. 

"He never gives up. On anything." Sam nods.

"That's why we're looking for-"

"Bucky." Steve gasps staring at something on the screen. Tony curses under his breath. 

"J.A.R.V.I.S, I thought I told you to delete that." He grumbles. 

"You said from the moment you came home sir. I believe you forgot he was here when you arrived home." Three furious stares turn to Tony making him feel smaller than a damned ant. 

"Mute." He mutters hunching his shoulders putting his hands in his pockets. 

"Stark. I'm going to give you two minutes. And only two."

"Doesn't seem fair. But whatever."

"Talk fast." Natasha warns folding her arms dangerously. 

"Fine. So I was having half way through arranging the pick up of at least three dozen innocent S.H.E.I.L.D agents including Maria to make sure they were under the protection of my almost literal army of lawyers after the three of you decided to destroy HYDRA by destroying the organization my father and your old war buddies help found and exposing everyone," There was a shift from Steve but the other two didn't even bat an eye. Not their problem. 

"Get to the point." Sam snips. Tony makes a face moving around the room picking at stuff here and there,

"Well I almost had a damned heart attack when I saw him sitting on my work bench." There was a dead silence as he fidgets looking around not sure what else to say.

"He could have killed you." Natasha says quietly. Tony could be mistaken, and he rarely is, but he thought he saw Steve pale a little. 

"No...well I mean...yeah. But I trust Bucky."

"Do you know where he is?" Steve asks.

"No." Steve was suddenly shoving Tony against the wall with a snarl. Tony flinches and grunts in surprise. He could feel his blood pressure rise and his heart start thudding. His vision was a little blurry which told him he was in the beginnings of an anxiety attack.

"Don't screw with me on this one Anthony." Steve all but growls. Tony swallows hard, tilting his head back so he doesn't have to look Rogers in the eye, suddenly glad to be in the middle of this PTSD thing. Otherwise, oh boy Steve would know more about Tony then he wanted. 

"I swear to you I'm not. He needed help fixing his arm, and after I made sure he wasn't the Soldier I agreed." His words stumble out as his breathing was starting to become irregular. 

"Tony are you ok?" Natasha's voice was heard but not exactly registered. His watch was flashing, and he barely remembers J.A.R.V.I.S was still on mute.

"Tony?" Steve's voice was a lot less hostile. But Tony couldn't stop the whimper that slips past his lips.

"Steve I think he's having a fit." Sam sounded worried. Which shouldn't matter. Guy doesn't know him. He's fine. He'll have a drink and he'll be alright.

"Steve let him go!" Huh, Romanov doesn't shout very often. 

"Tony?" Steve sounded concerned. He tries to blink but it doesn't seem to work. He was still staring at the ceiling. He was staring to feel tingly. And...light. "Tony?  _TONY_!" He must have managed to blink because he was seeing black. 


	4. Firecracker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha thinks Steve isn't treating Tony correctly. Which is insane because they're TEAMMATES and he believes he has gone above and beyond for the troublesome billionaire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I should be working on at least four other works. Yet here I am! Anyways I hope you enjoy! Comments and Kudos are always welcomed, as are suggestions.

Steve sets Tony down on the communal couch while Natasha uses some stolen retina scans and finger prints to un-mute J.A.R.V.I.S. Sam brings him a bottle of water and a wet wash cloth. When Steve looks confused he scoffs and sits next to Tony on the couch dabbing the cloth on Tony's face here and there. Steve takes a deep breath and crosses his arms watching. Natasha must have done something correctly because the AI was suddenly speaking. 

"Thank you Agent Romanov, however I am afraid I will have to explain to Mr. Stark how you managed that, which means he will change protocols."

"That's fine we're glad you're back. Can you help us figure out what to do with Tony?" She says with a small smile looking amused. Steve leans against the wall chewing his cheek.

"Mr. Wilson said it earlier. He had a fit. Or more commonly known as an Anxiety Attack." Everyone pauses glancing at each other. 

"Since when does Tony Freaking Stark have anxiety?" Steve asks with a disbelieving scoff. Sam makes a face at him.

"Mr. Stark has had PTSD since Afghanistan but recently has been dealing with occasionally uncontrollable anxiety after the battle of New York. He's develop insomnia, his alcoholism spiked while having to deal with the AIM incident,"

"AIM?"

"Long story I'll tell you later." Natasha comments with a wave to Steve.  

"Indeed. And it seems he has slight case of claustrophobia which is a direct result of the anxiety I do believe." J.A.R.V.I.S finishes. 

"That's not exactly uncommon." Sam remarks with a shrug. Steve huffs.

"Oh please. It's Tony. He's probably been up all night partying. Or you know;  _lying_ to the rest of the team." Natasha was suddenly standing directly in front of him her fists clenched. "What? You think I'm wrong?"

"I think you need to leave. Right now." Steve looks insulted but Sam slowly stands up and puts a hand on either one of their shoulders. 

"Let's all calm down. Steve how about you and I go and get some food. I'm sure he's going to be hungry when he wakes up." Steve and Natasha glare at each other for a moment before he nods. 

"Fine. Let's go." Natasha watches them leave before taking Sam's seat next to Tony. She was silent as she continued dabbing at his face. His expression never changes. His breathing never alters...but she can tell. She doesn't know how she does, she just...does.

"You shouldn't let Steve get under your skin so bad." Tony peaks an eye at her. "Just saying. He's doing better than most but a lot of his beliefs are still rather dated." Tony snorts closing his eye again.

"You'd think after all the illnesses he had that he would under stand some mental trauma." Natasha smiles uncapping the water bottle and offering it. Tony sighs taking it and sipping out of it. 

"True. But you're tougher than that. He cares Tony. We all do. He just...he's a little conflicted." Tony rolls his eyes refusing to sit up. He'd rather just pout. Natasha smiles softly at him reaching down and kissing his cheek. "He'll come around." She says confidently standing up. Tony reaches out and grabs her wrist quickly to keep her from leaving. Startled she looks down at his hand then up to his face.

"Will you?" He whispers licking his lips. Natasha's eyes widen a little. 

"Tony...I..."

"Sir, I apologize but Director Fury is calling. Something about a mission concerning HYDRA and Loki's staff." Tony closes his eyes feeling his stomach clench into knots.

"Yeahp. Thanks buddy." Natasha smiles softly at him shifting so she was holding his hand. He blinks looking up at her. 


	5. Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony meeting Bucky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there was a bit of Steve hate in that last one but I swear I love him. I just love Tony more! Anyways I hope you enjoy! Comments and Kudos are always welcomed and appreciated.

"Thank you Pepper. I know you really don't owe me anything. Especially after things-" Tony says shoulders slumping. The ice in his glass chinks when he shifts hands to open the work shop. He needed to get some things before he went to find Steve and them. Natasha had given him a location so he figured the new guy was hurt considering it was a D.C. Hospital. 

"Don't talk about us Tony. This is pure business." His eyes sparkle as he walks through the door. 

"Us? It's so funny you say 'us' because- AAH!" Tony screams dropping his glass, at once an Iron Man suit was attaching itself to him when he notices someone sitting on the work bench. 

"Tony?! Are you alright?" Pepper shouts in his ear. Quickly he assesses the situation, if he's right then that's in fact none other than the damned Winter Soldier. 

"I'm fine. I'll call you back in a bit. Something's come up." He doesn't give her a chance to argue before he hangs up on her. "What're you doing here?" He demands noticing one hand, (flesh) held up in surrender. The metal arm, (God don't look at it.) was hanging limply at his side. His head was bowed letting his brown hair hang in front of his face. "Come on, I won't shoot you for answering a question." Tony sighs frustrated. The Soldier tilts his head almost confused as he slowly looks up. Tony was thankful for the suit because those eyes...wow. He blinks a few times trying to get himself under control. 

"Y-you're Tony Stark?" The man asks weakly. Tony takes his turn to tilt his head. 

"No shit." Tony let's the helmet deactivate once he assesses the man was unarmed. "How the hell did you get in here?" There was a shift.

"I climbed the side of the building. To be honest I thought I was going to get caught, but I climbed onto the landing pad and there was this voice...asking for voice authorization." Tony glances up at the ceiling. J.A.R.V.I.S already knows who this is visually. "I panicked a little and said 'Steve Rogers' in my best Stevie impersonation..."

Bucky was startled when the suit clatters off Stark, and the smaller man doubles over with laughter. It was an odd change from the serious person who walked in. The laugh lines lit up his face and the sound actually warmed his heart. It scared the hell out of him. It took three whole minutes for Stark to calm down. Bucky wasn't sure what to make of Howard's son. But everything he knows about him was thanks to the Soldier. He was a genius, an inventor, a super Hero, a friend of Captain America, an alcoholic, but more than any of that; he was a mechanic. His metal arm sparks and jerks on its own causing him to shout and fall off the bench. Stark rushes over, with a choking noise.

"Oh holy shit, are you alright?" Tony asks wrapping an arm around him. Bucky groans curling into the fetal position. Tony clicks his tongue and shoves him onto his back leaning over him to inspect the arm. "Pf ft. You'd think with the access to literal world wide technology including apparently some of my own thanks to S.H.E.I.L.D, HYDRA would have gotten you a better arm." Bucky squints up at him confused. How did Stark know HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.E.I.L.D? 

"Wh-ow!" He shouts when Tony pulls the arm to him. Another click of his tongue.

"Wait here." Bucky scowls at him while the small man rushes over to his tools and comes back with what looks like a damned blow torch. "Now hold still for me please." Bucky squeezes his eyes shut while Tony works. It was no where  _near_ the amount of pain he was used to, when it came to repairs or removal. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt. Just as soon as it began however; "Alright done." Bucky turns his head sharply as Tony was getting up holding the arm. 

"Ho-how did you do that so fast?" Tony grins with a wink,

"Cause I'm the best in the biz old man." Bucky scowls sitting up on his elbow. Something shifted in Tony's face and he turns away quickly. "I'll get you another one in a couple of days, J.A.R.V.I.S will let you in through the side door, and well you already know how to follow signs." Bucky slowly nods watching him. Stark kicks a wall and to his surprise a full bar folds its way out. He blinks when Tony starts drinking straight out of a whiskey bottle. All signs pointed to distress. Which was something he was done causing. 

"Ok. I'm leaving. Thank you." Tony waves a hand at him still downing his drink. Bucky slowly stands and heads to the door. Tony makes a noise,

"Mh! Wait a second." Bucky freezes where he was listening to Stark make his way to him. "Here. This should help you out." Bucky looks at him confused to see a stack of bills. "Keep you occupied, fed and out of trouble. Least till I'm done with the arm." Bucky's eyes widen when Tony sets the money in his hand.

"I can't accept this." Tony rolls his eyes and pats his good shoulder.

"Sure you can. Just think of it as hush money." Bucky scrunches his nose.

"Hush money?" Tony shifts a little.

"Don't tell Steve about me helping you, and for the love of God don't tell him about the workshop's bar." Bucky raises an eyebrow at him but nods. Tony flashes a quick smile. Bucky looks him up and down trying to get a read on him. 

Something he instantly regrets as he notices a rather impressive bulge. Blushing he turns away biting his lip. There were rumors, always had been, about  _Howard's_ sexuality. The amount of which couldn't hold a  **candle** to the ones surrounding his son. HYDRA made sure he knew of every rumor because they deemed Iron Man and as a result Tony; dangerous. If any of these were true then they could be used against Stark. Up until this second he never had reason to believe a single one of them. 

"Why are you helping me?" He asks in a whisper glancing at him, doing his best to keep his eyes on Tony's face. Tony shrugs.

"You're Steve's friend right?" Bucky's eyes widen looking at the loopy grin on Tony's face. Maybe that whiskey hit him harder than it should have. 

"Stevie? Yo-you're doing this for Stevie?" Tony looks past him at the wall a dreamy look coming over him. 

"It'll make him happy. Hell he might even be proud of me." Tony went back to work and listened to Bucky shut the door behind him. "Hey J.A.R? Can you replay me the footage of when I walked back in here to now?" 

"Of course sir."

Tony watches in silence studying carefully. When it was over he moans in frustration palming his erection with one hand and grabbing the nearest bottle of vodka with the other.

"Delete it."


End file.
